Health Ministry To Introduce Guidelines For Passive Euthanasia

Officials at the Ministry of Health have followed up the introduction of a proclamation permitting euthanasia with a draft directive outlining guidelines for passive euthanasia, or the withdrawal of life support.

The draft defines euthanasia as “the deliberate intervention undertaken with the express intention of ending a life to relieve intractable suffering” and permits its use for patients who are totally dependent on external support to maintain cardiac and respiratory function or patients diagnosed as brain dead.

The draft stipulates that at least three health professionals must agree on a diagnosis before the decision can be made. The patient’s relatives can also voluntarily request to take the patient off life support through a written document.

The directive states that health professionals who were involved in the care of the patient, along with the respective institution’s medical director, must be present during the procedure.

The draft refers to the Health Service Administration Regulation Proclamation approved in May 2025.

“Ventilator assisted breathing shall only be interrupted by decision of three relevant professionals, when irreversible failure of cardiovascular and respiratory system or brain death is confirmed. The implementation of this article shall be determined by a directive issued by the Ministry,” reads the proclamation.

Euthanasia is a controversial case in the health industry globally. The bill does not specify whether the practice will be limited to certain health institutions.

The proclamation also introduced restrictions on the provision of technology-assisted reproductive health services, including limiting eligibility to married individuals who can present evidence of infertility. The proclamation also requires medical proof that “using technology-assisted reproductive services will have a positive effect for the spouses.”

The proclamation also authorized the use of products derived from animals or biotechnology for transplantation.